1975 Chinese Zodiac: The Year of the Wood Rabbit

Detail	1975
Animal	Rabbit (兔)
Element	Wood, yin
Stem and branch	Yi Mao (乙卯)
Year starts	February 11, 1975
Year ends	January 30, 1976
Year before	1974, Wood Tiger
Year after	1976, Fire Dragon

Born in January or February 1975?

The Chinese year does not start on January 1. It starts at Chinese New Year, which follows the Moon and usually falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice, somewhere between January 21 and February 20. In 1975 it fell on February 11 (China time), so the Rabbit starts with births on that day and everyone born before it in 1975 is still a Wood Tiger. If your birthday sits close to the line, the Chinese zodiac calculator checks the exact date for you.

The Rabbit in Chinese astrology

Gentle and diplomatic, the Rabbit is the most conflict-averse of the twelve in Chinese astrology. Rabbit people are described as refined and observant, with an eye for beauty and a gift for making a space feel calm. They are read as good listeners and careful with words, the type to smooth over a disagreement before it hardens. Others experience them as courteous, discreet and easy to be around.

The blind spots follow from the same gentleness. A Rabbit may avoid hard conversations, say yes when the answer is no, and carry quiet resentment instead of naming it. Caution can slide into indecision, and a sensitivity to tone makes harsh criticism linger. If you are a Rabbit, the old advice is to keep your sense of tact but practice saying the plain thing early, while it is still small. Friends often describe Rabbits as the ones who remember small details, such as a favorite tea or a difficult anniversary, and who show care through thoughtful gestures.

The Wood Rabbit

Wood stands for growth, generosity and cooperation. Tradition links it to spring, to trees and new shoots, and reads a Wood year as adding vitality, imagination and a wish to help others flourish. Wood people are described as idealistic, creative and good at building networks. The classical shadow is overextension: taking on more than there is time for, and bending to others' wishes until the original direction is lost. Wood gives the animal room to expand and a sense of shared purpose.

Wood is also the Rabbit's own element in the five-phase scheme, and the traditional Wood Rabbit is the gentlest, most artistic and most generous version of the sign. Kindness and a feeling for beauty run strong, and the instinct is to nurture. Its growth is quiet, like a shoot under a hedge, and it leans toward harmony and cooperation. People-pleasing and reluctance to refuse are the shadows. Choosing which favors to give, and speaking early when something bothers it, is the usual guidance. A garden, a studio or a kitchen table is where this Rabbit tends to feel most itself.

The same pairing of element and animal returns every sixty years, so 1915 and 2035 are Wood Rabbit years as well. The other wood year next to 1975 is 1974, a Wood Tiger, because each element lasts two years, one yang and one yin.

Rabbit compatibility

Tradition groups the twelve animals into four trines of three. The Rabbit shares its trine with the Goat and the Pig, the pairings read as the easiest. Its secret friend, a second close match, is the Dog, while the Rooster, six places away on the wheel, is read as its clash. These are tendencies of the tradition, not verdicts on any couple.

Tender, loyal and considerate, the Rabbit values a peaceful home and gentle manners. Rabbits prefer a slow courtship, show affection through small kindnesses and want to feel emotionally safe before they commit. They can be shy of conflict and may need encouragement to share what bothers them. A Rabbit flourishes with a partner who is kind, consistent and willing to ask how things are going.

The Rabbit at work

Tact, aesthetics and negotiation are the Rabbit's strengths, so the sign suits roles where they matter. Rabbits have a good eye for quality and a conservative approach to money: they save, avoid big gambles and prefer a stable income. The weak point is putting off decisions that carry risk, so that a good chance passes while the Rabbit weighs it.

Other Rabbit years

The Rabbit comes back every twelve years, each time with the next element: 1939 Earth Rabbit, 1951 Metal Rabbit, 1963 Water Rabbit, 1975 Wood Rabbit (this page), 1987 Fire Rabbit, 1999 Earth Rabbit, 2011 Metal Rabbit, 2023 Water Rabbit.

Your Western sign

Your Chinese sign comes from your birth year. Western astrology works from the sky on the day you were born instead: your Sun sign follows the date, and your Moon sign and rising sign also need the time and place. Two people born in 1975 share the Rabbit and can still have any of the twelve Western Sun signs. Draw your free birth chart to see your Sun, Moon and rising sign together, or look up your Sun sign by date with the zodiac sign dates calculator.

All twelve animals, the five elements and every year from 1930 to 2030 are listed in Chinese zodiac years.